Ikpeazu mourns Ogbonnaya Onu, says he was politician with integrity
By Jeffrey Agbo
Former governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, has expressed sadness over the death of the first civilian governor of the old Abia State, Ogbonnaya Onu.
The politician died on Thursday in Abuja at the age of 72.
In a statement by Onyebuchi Ememanka his media aide, Ikpeazu described the death of Onu as a massive loss to the political development of the country and especially, to the Igbo people, whose political cause he championed with passion and zeal.
He recalled Onu’s time as the first democratically elected governor of the old Abia State, between January 1992 and December 1993, a period that was characterised by peaceful co-existence and the setting of the ideological foundations for the development of Abia State.
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According to Ikpeazu, “Dr Onu was an astute academic and administrator. He was calm, gentle and never played politics without bitterness. After his service in the State, he would go on to the national stage where he held different positions wherein he left legacies of honor and patriotism. His death has left a big vaccum in our political space.
“Perhaps, the greatest political legacy for which Dr Onu will be remembered is that he played politics with integrity and remained very consistent in his ideologies. Whether in the ruling party or in the opposition, he remained resolute to his ideals.”
Ikpeazu prayed God to accept Onu’s soul and comfort his family and the entire people of the old Abia State.